Season of the Sakura
by from here to the moon
Summary: "I guess Sakuras aren't in season anymore." They told her she was weak and trampled over her, only to be stunned when she became lovelier than most. On impulse, Itachi takes Sakura after the Uchiha massacre, deepening the tear between two brothers in love with the same girl. A twist on the Naruto story SasSaku ItaSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**:**

**Season of the Sakura**

**Chapter 1**

**The Late Bloomer**

"Alright, that'll do it for today," said Iruka-sensei. "Class dismissed."

The small children of the class responded gleefully by quickly gathering their belongings and hurrying outside. Only a handful of students stayed behind, including a slight, pink haired girl.

Keeping to herself, Sakura cleared her desk methodically. Her seat was in the back row, allowing her to blend behind everyone else.

Just like a wallflower, Sakura thought to herself.

Standing up, Sakura noticed a pair of eyes staring at her. They were painted the color of the summer sky and belonged to Naruto Uzamaki. The boy gave Sakura a large but bashful grin.

Due to her timid nature, Sakura managed to only smile back shyly. Quickly, she exited the classroom, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. When Sakura reached the doors leading outside, she hesitated. Her large emerald eyes scanned the vicinity, spotting a few children.

There was Ino Yamanaka, her blonde hair shining as she waited beside Shikamaru. Pausing, Sakura openly admired, longing for her own hair to look that way. Having bright pink colored hair made Sakura an easy target for teasing and many times it brought her to tears. It was already bad enough that she was made of because of her forehead. . . .

Sakura adjusted the straps of her backpack, took a deep breath, and stepped out. With her head bowed and eyes glue to her feet, Sakura took her usual route home walking slowly but steady. It was always an internal struggle with Sakura; when she was at school she wanted to be at home and when she was at home she wanted to be at school. Neither place was comforting or bearable.

Today while Sakura was in the restroom, she overheard a pair of girls talking about her battered shoes and how ugly they were. Rather than stick up for herself, Sakura pretended not to hear them and left in a rush, red in the face.

Sakura sighed and then went rigid.

The sounds of high-pitched giggling reached Sakura's ears; she lifted her head and spotted Ami and her group of friends walking ahead of her. So engrossed in her own thoughts, Sakura hadn't realized their presence.

For a moment, Sakura worried they were going to torment her but they didn't even seem to notice her. All of them were huddled together, laughing and staring at something.

Sakura found it strange that she ran into them. None of the girls shared the same path home as her, Sakura made sure of that. Unless . . .

There was a shrill squeal. "Oh, there he goes!"

As expected by Sakura, Ami and her friends were following Sasuke Uchiha. The dark haired boy cast a glance over his shoulder, the corners of his mouth pulling downward.

His brother didn't come today, thought Sakura.

Since Sakura made sure to leave school when the rest of the students left, she'd wait in the shadows and watch. It came to Sakura's attention when she stared in veneration at Sasuke that his older brother would pick him up almost daily. But whenever Sasuke's brother didn't come, he'd take different routes to avoid pestering girls.

"Sasuke!" Ami called out. "Wanna walk home together?"

Sakura had to hold back her own laughter when Sasuke automatically shook his head.

"What about me?" another girl asked. "My house is near yours—hey!"

Sasuke had broken into a fast sprint down the pathway. Instinctively, the girls chased after him, calling his name.

The direction they seemed to be headed was toward Sakura's house and she didn't want to get spotted. Deciding it would be for the best, Sakura tried finding a different way. There was a large park nearby that wasn't too far from her house, and it was only a little ways off.

Sakura reached the park that was well-cared for with its groomed and clean trails that were intricately designed. A lot of plants and different types of trees were grown, covering the plot of land. There was a special spot hidden in the center behind branches and bushes that contained a small patch of flowers that Sakura loved and tended to.

All in all, Sakura found refuge in the warmth and beauty of the park. She felt herself relax when she walked in, no longer anxious. Feeling much better, Sakura went ahead to stop by and check on the flowers.

Without any trouble, Sakura squirmed her way through some thickets and brush to the secluded area. Her eyes sparkled in awe as she gazed at the plant life. Each flower stood erect and was vibrant in color. They were obviously taken good care of by Sakura who made it a priority to water them and trim any unwanted weeds.

It brought Sakura happiness that she could sustain such beauty through the flowers, especially when she felt herself to be the complete opposite. She was of course, named after the lovely spring flower but Sakura never actually felt worthy of the name her mother gave her.

Taking a moment for herself, Sakura sat down.

Although, she never liked to draw attention to herself, Sakura felt rather lonely. Being by her self had made her weary; solitude was a draining matter.

At the snap of a twig, Sakura turned her head.

Something shifted in the bushes, making Sakura hop onto her feet.

"Please, don't," said a voice. "They'll find me if you make noise."

Sakura watched in surprise as Sasuke crawled out from under a bush, with scratches adorning his face and some leaves stuck in his hair. He appeared very annoyed about his situation.

"W-what are you doing here?" stammered out Sakura.

Sasuke stood up, brushing dirt off of his shirt. "Hiding from those crazy girls." He peered at her and his irritation melted away instantly. "You're Sakura, right?"

Unable to speak, Sakura nodded once.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something else but then stopped.

"Ami, he's not here," said a girl walking on a nearby trail. "Let's just go."

"No," protested Ami. "I'm sure I saw him come over here."

"Well, I'm going home," someone snickered. "I'm tired."

Sakura and Sasuke stared at each other, both wanting nothing more than for the girls to leave already. The sound of footsteps retreating made Sakura exhale gratefully.

"Is it okay if I hide here?" asked Sasuke. "I don't think Ami will give up that easily."

"O-okay . . ."

Sakura's stomach felt strange when Sasuke smile slightly at her. Part of her wished to leave but another part of her longed to stay. Sakura fidgeted with her hands and then sat back down.

Across from Sakura, Sasuke sat cross-legged. His interest flickered over to the flowers. "Are those yours?"

It took Sakura a few seconds to find her voice again. "Sorda."

Sasuke looked at Sakura, questioning. "What do you mean?"

"They're not mine," clarified Sakura, picking at a blade of grass to avoid eye contact. "I only take care of them."

"You do a good job."

Sakura made the mistake of peeking up at Sasuke; immediately, her face grew warm from his compliment. A silence fell over the two of them that did not break until Sakura's stomach grumbled in hunger.

"Sorry," she murmured. In truth, Sakura had not eaten since the morning; she had not prepared herself lunch.

Chuckling, Sasuke dismissed it and rummaged through his satchel before asking Sakura, "Want half a sandwich?"

"Uh—no, it's—"

Sasuke pushed the sandwich into Sakura's possession. "My brother told me that girls always say no whenever people offer food, so it's best to just give it to them anyway."

Sakura smiled softly and took a small bite.

"I hope you like tomatoes," said Sasuke, busy with his own half, "because I ask my mom to put them on my sandwich. They're my favorite."

Sakura tucked away that piece of information. "It's delicious."

After they finished their meal, Sasuke handed Sakura his canteen to drink from. Instead of rejecting the offer, Sakura took a sip and thanked him.

"Do you think Ami's gone?" Sasuke wondered aloud, squinting towards the sky.

Sakura shrugged. "I think so."

Sasuke turned and stared at Sakura for a long moment before saying, "I need to get going, my mom wants me home early to help with dinner."

Sakura tried her best not to look disappointed. "Oh, okay."

Sasuke got on his feet. "It was nice meeting you Sakura; you don't talk a lot like everybody else."

Unsure of what to make of Sasuke's words, Sakura stayed silent.

With a kind farewell, Sasuke slipped into the bushes and departed. Alone once more, Sakura smiled, feeling content and very pleased.

**. . .**

Sakura didn't drag her feet as she walked to the academy the next day. It didn't matter much to her that her dad scolded her for coming home late; she had been able to spend some time with Sasuke. With just the memory, Sakura found herself smiling unconsciously.

At the entrance, Sasuke saw Sakura and waved. Still too withdrawn to boldly say hi back, Sakura merely gave a jerky nod of the head.

Inside the classroom, Sakura put in some effort to pay attention to the lesson. Still, it was a hard for her to stay on task when her mind had the tendency to wander. Most of the time, Sakura relived her encounter, glad to have had some company. It was also wonderful because it had become another one of Sakura's special secrets.

What was even better was that when Ami made a snide comment about Sakura's forehead, Sakura was too absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear.

When the bell rang for break, Sakura went ahead to the edge of the playground and sat on one of the swings. Digging her toes in the sand, Sakura hummed one of her mom's melodies.

Beside her, Naruto showed up and occupied the other swing. "Hi, Sakura."

Sakura was momentarily blinded by Naruto's smile. "H-hello."

Naruto watched Sakura, his gaze hopeful. The two peeked at each other from the corner of their eyes. Looking past the blonde haired boy, Sakura spotted Hinata Hyuga stealing glances at Naruto with deep longing from behind a tree.

"Look, Ami! There's Forehead Girl and that Beast Boy!"

Both Sakura and Naruto jolted.

A group of children were pointing at them, laughing openly. "I think they're together," someone proclaimed.

"Eew, that's gross!"

Sakura felt her entire face and neck grow warm in embarrassment. Trying to ignore the cruel jeers she was receiving, Sakura pretended she was in a far away place.

"You're so weird," Ami sneered at Sakura. "You're only friend is this freak."

Sakura focused on memorizing the alphabet backwards. _Z, Y, X, W . . . ._

"Not only that," Ami went on. "Your forehead is deformed."

"Leave her alone!" snapped Naruto. "Sakura is pretty—and way prettier than you!"

"She's the most ugliest thing here," said Ami, glaring at Sakura. "And she knows it."

"Don't listen to her, Sakura," said Naruto. "You're pretty—really, really pretty. She's just jealous of you."

"You're ugly, Sakura," said Ami, louder when Sakura continued looked like she wasn't paying attention. "You're ugly and so are your stupid flowers!"

_F, E, D—_ Sakura stiffened, her eyes wide. How'd she know about my flowers? Sakura thought in a panic. She became overwhelmed, scared that something bad had happened to her precious flowers. The mere idea made Sakura's bottom lip tremble.

"Aww, are you gonna cry like a baby, Forehead Girl?" mocked Ami, a satisfied smirk plastered on her face.

Sakura's eyes went hard and her hands balled into fists, determined to not to give in to her intense urge to cry. Sakura stood up and walked away with what little nerve she had left.

**. . .**

Sasuke lingered in front of the academy at the end of class, hoping to find Sakura. He pocketed his hands, trying to stay out of sight from giggling girls. Sasuke was prepared to wait for a while; he noticed Sakura had the tendency to hide from people.

Sasuke glanced out toward the pathways; Itachi was going to walk him home but he hadn't showed up yet.

There was a flash of pink and Sasuke barely realized it was Sakura running out, looking extremely upset.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called out. "Wait—!"

Sakura did not falter and was soon out of sight.

Without a second-thought, Sasuke sprinted after her, surprised by how fast Sakura actually was. He followed her into the park from the day before and nearly lost her. It took Sasuke a while to find the same secluded place; he only found it because he heard sniffling.

Sasuke squeezed through bushes, seeing Sakura curled up and hugging her knees, tears trickling down her face beside the patch of flowers. Sasuke did a double take, shocked. The flowers were demolishes and yanked apart, as though someone purposely stomped all over them.

Cautiously, Sasuke approached Sakura. "What happened?"

"Ami," sobbed Sakura. "Ami ruined my flowers!"

"But how did—?" Sasuke stopped short. Ami knew I was hiding here, realized Sasuke, so she did this to hurt Sakura.

Sakura cried silently, never seeming to run out of tears. Sasuke watched helplessly, feeling awful and responsible for her pain. He hated it when girls cried. . . "Sakura," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," whimpered Sakura. "You didn't do this."

Sasuke couldn't help but feel like he did; he did invade Sakura's spot in the first place. "Don't cry," said Sasuke. "My brother says girls shouldn't cry because they're princesses, that they're most beautiful smiling."

Sakura wiped away her eyes. "Your brother knows a lot about girls."

"He knows a lot about _everything_," said Sasuke with pride. "I wanna be just like him."

"He sounds nice."

"He's the best," said Sasuke, distracted by Sakura's eyes; they were twinkling because of the onslaught of recent tears.

"Sasuke?" a new voice said.

From the shadows of the trees, Itachi Uchiha stepped forward. "What are you doing here? You weren't at the academy."

Sasuke smiled widely at his brother. He wasn't surprised that Itachi easily tracked him down. "My friend's flowers got ruined."

Itachi's dark eyes glimpsed first at Sakura and lingered there with interest before turning to the flowers. "By who?"

"An annoying girl," answered Sasuke. "We have to help."

Itachi addressed Sakura. "What's your name?"

Sasuke noted the soft tone in Itachi's voice that he rarely demonstrated. Sasuke looked to Sakura, who was watching Itachi warily.

"S-Sakura Haruno," she said.

"That's a beautiful name you got there, Sakura." Itachi got closer and kneeled before her. "I'm Itachi Uchiha."

Sasuke stared the blossoming rosy color on Sakura's cheeks, fascinated and drawn to it.

"Well," started Itachi. "I'm very sorry about your flowers but my brother and I would be glad to help you re-grow them."

Sakura gaped at him. "You would?"

Itachi nodded. "Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke smiled. "Yeah."

Itachi helped Sakura up and handed her a handkerchief with the Uchiha symbol to dry her eyes. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

**. . .**

"Aren't they adorable?" Mikado Uchiha squealed happily to her eldest son. The two of them were in the lounge room, where they had a nice view of the backyard.

Itachi was subtly observing Sasuke and Sakura. The two children were outside together, sitting side-by-side. Like his mother, Itachi was amused by Sasuke's concern for the little girl.

"I find that girl very lovely," said Mikado. "She reminds me of an old friend of mine with her pink hair."

Itachi raised a brow. "Really?"

A reminiscent gleam covered Mikado's eyes. "Yes, but my friend had red hair . . ."

The sound of a laugh echoed over. Itachi identified it as Sakura's and found it rather musical, like a wind chime.

"I hope Sasuke takes a liking to this girl," said Mikato. "She's unique."

Itachi silently agreed with his mother, believing there was something special about Sakura. Her pure innocence and enticing emerald eyes enticed him, making it impossible for Itachi to deny her. He had encountered many women and none of them had the same effect on him.

Itachi's gaze was stuck on Sakura. "That flower hasn't blossomed yet but when she does, she'll be most beautiful."

Mikato gave Itachi a knowing look. "Make up your mind now, my son. Either take her as your own now or leave her to your brother."

**. . .**

"I'll ask my mom to buy flower seeds," said Sasuke, animatedly. His head was tilted slightly to the side, openly staring at Sakura.

Unaccustomed to attention, Sakura continued to look down. "You don't have to."

Sasuke shook his head firmly. "No, I promised to fix your flowers."

"Thank you, Sasuke."

Sakura spoke very quietly, forcing Sasuke to listen carefully. Regardless, his lips twisted upward at her sincere words of appreciation. A strange feeling formed in Sasuke's stomach, the same sensation he got whenever he tried to show his father a mastered attack move or jutsu. Sasuke did not comprehend why simply being with Sakura made him feel that way.

Itachi joined them a little later, affectionately patting Sakura's head with a large hand. "I think it's time for Sakura to go home."

Both Uchiha brothers accompanied Sakura home, each unaware of how deeply they were falling for her. Neither would be prepared for Sakura's intensity when she finally bloomed from a cute bud to a breathtaking flower.

**:**

**A/N: Oh, I hope you all enjoyed this. It's a new project I've started and I hope to finish if enough people like it.**

**Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

**Season of the Sakura**

**Chapter 2**

**The Wilting Stem**

"You don't have to walk me with me," said Sakura one early morning when she walked out of her small house and found Sasuke waiting for her for the fourth day in a row.

"You don't want to walk with me?" As they made their way to the academy, Sasuke adjusted his stride and pace to match Sakura's.

"I d-do!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"I—er—I dunno. I don't want to bug you."

Sasuke made sure to keep looking forward. "You don't bug me, Sakura."

Sakura clasped her hands together, relieved. She didn't say anything else, pleased to be with Sasuke. The rest of the walk was relatively quite; Sasuke never pushed her to talk, seeming to sense her reluctance and respecting it.

They arrived at the academy, a little later than usual. Remembering the way Itachi and his father always held open the door for his mother, Sasuke hurriedly did the same for Sakura.

The hallways were mainly empty, their footsteps echoing. When they reached the classroom, Sakura faltered and did not enter.

"What's wrong?" asked Sasuke, perplexed.

"You can go first," said Sakura, anxiety starting to bubble. Ami had been leering at her a lot more lately since she started spending time with Sasuke and did not want to push it any farther. If she walked in with Sasuke, Sakura was sure things would only get worse.

"Stop being silly and come on."

"N-no, it's okay."

Sasuke observed Sakura's apprehensive demeanor and it struck a cord within him. He couldn't explain why he had an insistent impulse to look after her. "Sakura," said Sasuke sternly, his tone reminding him of Itachi. "Tell me what's wrong."

Sakura bit down on her lip, debating. "Ami will be mad if I'm with you. . . She really likes you."

"Well, I don't like her at all," said Sasuke, unaware of how Sakura's posture straightened up at his words. "Now, come on before we're late."

Sakura followed after Sasuke, no longer worried. It amazed her how Sasuke could ease her uncertainties, it had to be because he was so confident in what he did. Sakura took her seat, her chin raised as Ami scowled at her.

**. . .**

At lunch, Sasuke and Sakura sat together under the shade of a tree. It had become a habit of Sasuke's to bring Sakura a sandwich and share his meal with her. Happily, Sakura would listen to Sasuke talk; his favorite topic was Itachi and his achievements but Sasuke would give accounts of interesting stories his parents had told him.

"Yesterday, I did this new jutsu with Itachi," said Sasuke. "He's been teaching me fire element and . . ."

Sasuke started to sound distant as Sakura saw Naruto on the jungle gym, accompanied with Shikamaru and Choji. Naruto was staring back at Sakura, looking sad and a little resentful.

Sakura was starting to miss Naruto, even if she hardly talked to him; she never had to because somehow he had understood her perfectly. Since Sasuke started hanging out with her, Sakura hardly saw much of Naruto.

Sasuke stopped talking, catching Sakura looking somewhere else; he turned and when he realized she was gazing at Naruto he frowned. "Is he your friend?"

Sakura's lashes fluttered. "Uh, kinda."

"Kinda?"

"He's always very kind to me and when someone picks on me, he says nice things to make me feel better."

Sasuke's frown deepened. "I don't like that kid."

A spark of anger flashed in Sakura. Even if she and Naruto weren't exactly friends, she felt like they shared a bond: they both knew what it was like to be unwanted. "Leave him alone, Sasuke."

Sakura's voice was still soft-spoken but there was strong emotion behind it that startled Sasuke. Annoyance and another sensation he couldn't distinguish overcame Sasuke. "Why? Do you _like_ him?"

Sasuke's jealousy died when Sakura's eyes filled with hurt and a few traces of tears.

"No, wait," he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." The idea of making Sakura cry brought shame to Sasuke. He immediately reacted by taking her face in his hands and used his thumbs to prevent Sakura's tears from spilling over. "Please, don't cry."

Sakura's breath caught in throat, overwhelmed by how near Sasuke was. For a fleeting second, she was memorized by Sasuke's onyx eyes and the intensity of them.

Then, Sasuke hastily pulled away, his blood racing and ears red.

Sakura pushed her hair out of her face, trying to cool down. The movement captured Sasuke's attention, enthralled by the grace in it. Then his brows furrowed, noticing something strange on Sakura's neck. It was easy to spot on her cream skin: a large bruise that resembled a hand.

"Sakura, what's that?" asked Sasuke, pointing it out.

Sakura's hands began to sweat and she tried to shake her hair to cover up the bruise. "What?"

Determined, Sasuke leaned over and brushed away Sakura's hair, momentarily distracted by the floral smell of it. "Right _here_."

Sasuke touched the spot and Sakura winced. "It's n-nothing."

Sasuke continued to examine the injury; the bruise encircled Sakura's neck, as thought somebody had tried choking her. "Who did this?" he demanded, his voice cold.

"Sakura," he prompted when she did not answer. "Tell me right now."

Sakura said almost too quietly: "My d-dad."

**. . .**

". . . and then she told me it was her dad!" Sasuke told Itachi. "Her _dad_!"

The two brothers were washing dishes in the kitchen alone after dinner and Sasuke had taken the liberty to tell Itachi what he had discovered.

He would have told Itachi sooner but his dad had arrived home that day from a trip and his locked jaw made Sasuke hold his tongue; he knew it was for better if he kept quiet when his father was in one of those moods. Besides, the tension between Itachi and their dad was very thick at the dinner table.

Sasuke waited for Itachi's response. There were bags under his brother's eyes; lately it seemed like there was something on his mind bothering him but whenever Sasuke would ask, Itachi would merely smile and dismiss it.

"Did she tell you anything else?" asked Itachi, his grip on a glass cup growing dangerous.

Sasuke was sure the cup was going to shatter. "No, she didn't want talk about it. She said not to worry and that it was fine."

Itachi was having a hard time marshaling his thoughts. There was too much for him to think about. A burden had been thrust upon Itachi and it was wearing him down. "I'll make sure to look into it when I have time."

Sasuke wanted to say something else but he saw that Itachi's eyes were clouded, his mind far away. "Okay."

It was later at night when Sasuke got out of bed to get a drink of water that he overhead Itachi and his mother speaking in hushes voices. He stayed hidden in the shadows of the hall, ears straining,

"Don't do anything too rash, Itachi," said Mikato. "You don't know the entire story yet."

"You want me to just stand aside while a little girl gets abused?"

"No, I meant—"

"There's no excuse, Mother. Assaulting a child is intolerable no matter the reason," said Itachi. "Anyways, I know who her father is and the story fits."

"Itachi, please, don't let your feelings for the girl override your thinking."

"I thought you were fond of Sakura, Mother?"

"I am but I'm also well aware that there's something else bothering you Itachi."

There was moment of silence and then someone got up. "I'm going to bed, Mother. Goodnight."

Sasuke slipped back inside his bedroom, trying to understand what he just heard. He got into bed and did not fall asleep easily, troubled by the conversation.

**. . .**

Weeks had passed and Sasuke had grown particularly attached to Sakura, spending the majority of his time with her. Out of concern, he kept an eye out to make sure there weren't anymore suspicious injuries on Sakura. When Sasuke found something strange, Sakura claimed that it was due to her own clumsiness. It was usually over a small scratch or bump, so Sasuke could not protest.

Sasuke had managed to get Sakura to come over to his house for dinner a few times. The only reason why he didn't invite her everyday was because of his father; the man made it clear that he did not favor Sakura. His father's opinion didn't bother Sasuke but he could tell that Sakura was rather uncomfortable with his father, so, he made sure to bring her to his house when he was absent.

Then there was Itachi. After listening in on the exchange between him and his mother, Sasuke paid more attention on Itachi's behavior around Sakura. His brother was very gentle with her and after a while, Sakura got over her shyness around him.

Part of Sasuke worried that she favored Itachi over him even though she showed no preference for his brother. She was always by Sasuke's side, glued to his hip.

On a particular day after class, Sasuke walked out of building with Sakura. It had also become routine for Sasuke to walk Sakura home as well.

"Sakura," said Sasuke, coming to a stop. "Will you come with me somewhere?"

Confusion flickered over Sakura but then she nodded eagerly, a small smile on her lips. She asked no further questions and joined Sasuke.

Together, they walked, each enjoying the other's company. It had taken some time, but Sasuke finally got Sakura to confide more in him. Of course, Sakura was still timid but she was starting to add in her own opinion and thoughts whenever she and Sasuke spoke.

"You were amazing today," said Sakura, referring to a sparing session during lessons where Sasuke got the best of Kiba.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, acting as if it was of no real importance, when in reality he had given his all. "It's was nothing."

"I thought it was great."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth lifted. He was accustomed to girls admiring him; they were always complimenting him, but when it was Sakura, Sasuke knew it was genuine.

They approached the business area of the Leaf Village, groups of people surrounding various stands and shops. The mouth-watering aromas of cuisines were carried in the air along with the sounds of cheerful chatter.

"Let's go over there," said Sasuke, leading Sakura to Iruka's/Irucha's a Raman stand and helping her onto one of the tall stools.

The chef grinned at the pair of them, pulling out a notepad to take their orders. "What will it be?"

"Uh . . ." Sakura's face grew pink with chagrin. "Sasuke, I don't have any—"

"Don't worry," dismissed Sasuke. "Order whatever you like, it's my treat."

"A-Are you sure?" asked Sakura, surprised.

Sasuke nodded. "Positive."

Sasuke went ahead and ordered a medium sized bowl of chicken and raman while Sakura settled for a simple meal of vegetable ramon.

Sakura bowed her head, her hair covering her face. "You don't have to do this."

"But I want to."

Sakura turned to Sasuke, taken aback. He did not face her, focusing on the preparation of their meal with forced interest. A faint splash of color was sprouting on Sasuke's cheeks but Sakura decided it was just a trick of the light from the lanterns hanging above them.

The chef appeared, handing Sasuke and Sakura their orders. Quietly, Sasuke ate, observing the way Sakura used her chopsticks. Her fingers were dainty but her grip was firm and maneuvered them with ease.

Sasuke slurped a long string of raman, receiving a giggle from Sakura.

Once Sakura was full and dabbed her mouth with a napkin, Sasuke took a deep breath. "I, uh, have something for you." With his eyes cast downward to avoid Sakura's shocked gaze, Sasuke pulled from his bag a fine ribbon shaded dark blue, the notorious color of the Uchiha clan. On each end of the ribbon was a carefully embroidered sakura.

Sakura let out a little gasp at the sight of it.

"I hope you like it," said Sasuke awkwardly. "I just thought you could use it to hold back your hair . . ."

Sakura's emerald eyes were wide, twinkling in awe. "It's so pretty . . ."

Sasuke went ahead and tied it in Sakura's hair, his fingers threading through it to push it out of her face. The knot was a struggle for Sasuke to do but he managed.

"There," he said. "Now I can look at you."

Sakura beamed at him, glowing. "Thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke blinked rapidly, heat flooding to his neck when Sakura suddenly threw her arms around him in an embrace. He caught a glimpse of a blonde head and saw Naruto glaring from a few feet away. Sasuke smirked mirthlessly and brought Sakura closer.

Sasuke panicked when he heard Sakura sniffle. "Oi! Are you _crying_?"

Sakura raised her head. "I'm just so h-happy!"

Sighing in relief, Sasuke said, "Don't cry dummy."

"Sorry," mumbled Sakura.

After paying the bill and scowling at the chef for his taunting comments on puppy love, Sasuke led Sakura home. On the way, Sakura took Sasuke's hand and they silently walked.

At the front of Sakura's tiny home, they parted, but not before Sakura gave Sasuke a chastised kiss. Sasuke was left standing dumbfounded after Sakura squeaked and hurried inside her house.

**. . .**

Days later, in the late afternoon, Itachi arrived to the Village Hidden in the Leaves from his most recent mission. An Anbu mask covered his face as he passed the entry gates, flash-stepping his way over rooftops.

The mission had been a success, very easy for Itachi. He returned unharmed.

As Itachi grew closer into the midst of the village, he was delayed by the strange sounds of jeering and taunting. Perched on a balcony, Itachi scanned below. In the corner, against a wooden fence was a gang of small girls, circled around someone.

Itachi's calmness was interrupted when he spotted Sakura on the ground, trying to protect herself, shielding her head with her arms as she was kicked at brutally.

In an instant, Itachi appeared before the girls who screamed at his presence and ran.

There was an instinctive primitive part of Itachi that wanted to track the girls, yank them by their hair and punish them. The only thing that stopped Itachi was Sakura groaning in pain.

Tenderly, Itachi picked up Sakura's frail and battered form, cradling her against his chest. He was filled with anguish seeing her innocent face cut up with scratches. Itachi brushed his thumb over her split lip, wiping away blood.

Sakura whimpered half conscience.

"Don't worry," murmured Itachi. "You're going to be alright."

Sakura gazed back, her eyes locking onto his, stirring something with him. "I-Itachi?"

Itachi stiffened and for a split-second he thought he wasn't wearing his mask; it was impossible for Sakura to easily recognize him. But somehow she did because there was certainty set in her gaze.

His grip on Sakura tightened and his jaw locked in determination. Then, without warning, he broke into a run, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, heading directly to the hospital.

Luckily, the hospital was not busy when they showed up. Itachi quickly grabbed the nurses' attention, demanding for medical assistance.

No one questioned Itachi about Sakura, he was still in his Anbu uniform, which meant whatever he did was to be kept in secret. The entire medical staff was trained to just do their job and save lives when it came to these types of situations.

When a male nurse started to pry Sakura from Itachi to lay her on a stretcher, Sakura resisted, her hands gripping Itachi tightly. "N-No. . ."

"You must, Sakura," said Itachi. "They're going to help you."

Sakura's fingers uncurled themselves. "Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me."

"I won't," vowed Itachi, gently placing Sakura down and following right behind as nurses pushed the stretcher into an available room. Efficiently, doctors and nurses prepped Sakura, touching certain body parts to check if they were fine and marking her vitals.

Sakura yelped when a nurse touched her ribcage and nearly screamed when the nurse continued to put pressure on it to find out what was wrong. "It looks like a cracked rib."

The doctor scribbled information down on a clipboard. "She has some internal bleeding. Let's prep her and get her into an OR."

Sakura was given morphine and then some liquid to put her to sleep. Itachi watched stoic in the background, arms crossed. No one said anything to him when he slipped into the operating room and leaned against the wall to stay with Sakura.

In an hour, the medical ninja mended Sakura's rib and stop whatever was bleeding inside her. They moved Sakura into a patient's room, the effects of the medicine still working and keeping her asleep.

Itachi did not leave, pulling a chair next to Sakura's bedside. What was most prominent to Itachi was the fact that Sakura's hair was pulled back. It allowed him to appreciate her beauty and for a long time he merely stared at Sakura, memorizing her face. In his mind, he imprinted the soft slops of her cheekbones, the fullness of her lower lip and the length of her sooty eyelashes.

Itachi saw the ribbon in Sakura's hair and then smiled to himself. He remembered how ecstatic Mikato was when Sasuke asked her opinion on what type of material he should buy for a ribbon. He also recalled Sasuke painstakingly stitching flowers onto it and the many times he pricked his fingers with the needle.

Itachi took Sakura's hand, noting to large difference in size. His fingers overlapped when he grabbed her thin wrist. With reverence, Itachi held Sakura's hand between both of his.

He remained that way until the very moment Sakura came to.

Sakura's eyes opened and then drooped, taking several blinks to finally awaken. She scanned the ceiling and took in the environment puzzled, a crease forming between her brows.

"You're in the hospital," said Itachi softly.

Color flooded Sakura's face, realizing he was holding her hand. "I-Itachi. . . ."

From behind his mask, Itachi frowned. "How did you know it was me?"

Sakura rubbed her lips together in contemplation. Itachi found the way she was looking at him unnerving; it was exactly the same as earlier. He froze when she leaned over and touched his mask. Gingerly, Sakura pushed it up to reveal Itachi's face.

Sakura cocked her head to the side and gave her explanation: "Your eyes. . ."

The close proximity of one another made Itachi pause and lose his train of thought. It bothered him how easily Sakura affected his entire being. With a shake of the head, Itachi asked, "Why were those girls attacking you?"

Sakura's posture fell, almost crumpling. "They don't like me," she whispered.

Itachi was in disbelief; how could Sakura be unlikable? The girl was kind and very polite. "Why don't they like you?"

"Because," said Sakura. "My hair is weird, my forehead is too big, I'm ugly and. . ." Sakura swallowed, defeat coming over her. ". . . And I like Sasuke . . . ."

For some reason, Itachi's hold on Sakura's hand turned vice-like. "Don't listen to them, Sakura."

"B-But they're r-right. . ."

"They're not," growled Itachi. "You're beautiful and they resent you for it."

To Itachi's disappointment, Sakura didn't seem to believe him. It infuriated him how oblivious Sakura was to her own beauty, she was so fine and lovely, and it wasn't fair.

Sakura shook her head fiercely. "Even my d-dad thinks that way. . ."

"What?"

Biting on her lower lip, Sakura determinedly averted her gaze. "He hates me," she whispered, her eyes filling. "I'm the reason why my mother died. She lost her life when she had me."

"Sakura, that man doesn't know what he's talking about."

"I'm horrible Itachi," cried Sakura. "I shouldn't be allowed to have S-Sasuke as a friend."

Itachi couldn't handle it, Sakura's emerald eyes were sparkling with tears and he had no control over himself; he leaned forward, brushing his lips against her forehead.

Sakura instantly stiffened. "I-Itachi?"

"I want you to listen to me, Sakura," murmured Itachi. "You are breathtaking and pure. Don't you dare forget that."

Trembling uncontrollably as sobs racked her body, Sakura took refuge in Itachi's chest, his long arm keeping her together. She felt safe and protected in Itachi's embrace but what drew Sakura in completely was that she found tender love within him.

Burying his face into her soft hair, Itachi made a vow to guard the flower in his possession at all costs.

**:**

**A/N: Oh, man. That took forever to write; I hope it held up well. I wanted both Sasuke and Itachi to be likeable here. Things will probably be set into motion in the next chapter, so get ready.**

**Make sure to leave a review.**


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